Falmer Stadium: Brighton & Hove Albion

Farmer Stadium is the home of Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club, though it’s known as The American Express Community Stadium because of sponsorship reasons. It’s also known as The Amex for simplicity reasons! It’s located near to the village of Falmer, which is where it got its original name from. The Amex replaced the club’s former stadium, the Goldstone Ground, owing to the fact that the club’s former owners sold it to developers.

Because the old owners didn’t line-up a replacement ground for Brighton they ended up bouncing around a number of different stadiums whilst they looked for their own home. Originally they ground-shared with Gillingham at Priestfield Stadium before using Withdean Stadium for a time. The location that would eventually be the building area for Falmer Stadium was actually identified as early as 1998. However delays in planning permission meant that Brighton had to wait over a decade until their new stadium was officially opened in 2011.

Falmer Stadium Seating Plan & Where to Sit

Like most new stadiums, The Amex is constructed in a bowl style. It still has four distinct sections, though, somewhat imaginatively called the North, South, East and West stands. The East Stand has two tiers and The West Stand has three, whilst the North and South Stands are single-tiered.

The North Stand - With room for over 2,500 supporters, this stand is the one that houses the club’s most vocal supporters. Unlike with The South Stand behind the opposite goal this are of the ground is not joined up to the other sections by corner seating.

The East Stand - Over 5000 supporters can sit in this part of the stadium and it is considered to be the most family friendly area of the ground. If travelling supporters ever get an increased allocation of tickets then this is the part of the ground that they’ll sit in.

The South Stand - With a central seating section as well as seating in the corners to connect it to the rest of the stadium, this is a touch larger than The North Stand. It’s also where the travelling fans are normally accommodated.

The West Stand - The three tiers of The West Stand allow it to hold over 11,000 supporters, making it the largest section of the stadium.

Brighton & Hove Albion Ticket Prices

As is the case with most clubs in the country, Brighton & Hove Albion categorise their games depending on the opposition they face. Prices also differ within each category depending on where in the ground you are looking to sit. The ticket also includes free bus and rail travel from within a subsidised zone. Here are the cheapest and most expensive ticket prices for adults and concessions in each category:

Category A: £32-£42 / £24-£30

Category B: £30-£40 / £22-£28

Category C: £25-£35 / £20-£28

How To Get Brighton & Hove Albion Tickets

Brighton & Hove Albion have an excellent website with easy to understand ticket pricing. That would be your first port of call if you’re hoping to buy tickets to see the club play live. You can also call the club’s ticket office directly to discuss your ticketing options or you can call in at the ticket office at the ground itself.

Getting To Falmer Stadium

How you would go about getting to The Amex was one of the chief concerns that was taken into account when the stadium was built, so access is surprisingly easy and well thought out. Here are some of the more conventional methods you’ll want to consider!

Train - Falmer Railway Station is just 150 metres from the ground, so you’ll be able to walk it in about a minute. It’s on the East Castaway Line and Southern Railways operate services there about four times an hour. Brighton itself is, of course, a little bit out of the way from the rest of the country. A train from London can take anywhere from an hour to an hour and half, whilst a journey from further North will take however long it takes you to get to London plus the time it takes to change trains.

Bus - There are two bus stops really close to the ground that you can get to on bus numbers 23, 25 and 84. There are also services that run from the University of Sussex campus as well as match day services put on by the club.

Car - The club is conscious of its environmental footprint, so it positively discourages people from driving to the ground. There are Park & Ride options available from both The University of Brighton and Mill Road as well as Brighton Racecourse.

If you’re driving from London then you’ll want to get onto the M25 before taking the M23 to the A27. From there you’ll get onto the B2123 and this is the road on which you’ll find the Amex. If you’re travelling from somewhere up North, Manchester for example, then you’ll take the M6 (or M6 toll) to the M40 before getting onto the London Orbital and following the route outlined below.

By Air - All of the London airports are within easy distance of Brighton, so if you’re coming from abroad then you’ll want to consider which of those airports is best for you and take it from there. Gatwick, as an example, is just half an hour away from Brighton by train. There is an airport called Shoreham, or Brighton City, but this is typically the reserve of private light aircrafts.

Taxi - A taxi from Brighton Train Station to The Amex will set you back something in the region of about £20 and your journey will take about the same amount of minutes to complete. Obviously if you end up travelling at a busier time then you will inevitably end up paying more money!

Parking Near Falmer Stadium

As well as the excellent park and ride options the club also offers parking at two sites near to the ground. Parking there needs to be pre-booked, so do bear that in mind. You can head to either Sussex University’s Stanmer Park or Bridge Car Park. There is no on-street parking near to the ground and if you attempt to do that you may well end up with a fine or your car being towed away.

Located in Woodingdean, about one and a half miles from the stadium, this hotel sits above a restaurant-cum-bar and has a garden, barbecue grills and a picnic area. There’s also free Wi-Fi in the reception area, free parking and a free breakfast included with your stay. More details.

Brighton’s Jurys Inn can be found about a mile from the beach and a little over three miles from The Amex. It’s got over 200 rooms, a restaurant and bar, nine meeting rooms and a conference space. There’s also free Wi-Fi and multilingual staff for those of you coming from abroad or who just like to test your GCSE French on an unsuspecting hotelier. More details.

Three and a half miles from Brighton & Hove Albion’s home ground and within walking distance of the city’s Sea Life Centre is this charming guest house. With just seven rooms, free wi-fi and free breakfast you know you’ll get a very personal experience if you choose to spend your pre-match night here. More details.

Pubs & Bars Near Falmer Stadium

Just as the nearby sea front means there are plenty of hotels to choose from in Brighton, so there are also a huge amount of bars and pubs for your consideration. We’ve tried to pick some that are particularly welcoming to sports fans for you here:

The Swan Inn

Middle Street, Falmer, BN1 9PD (01273 681842)

This is the closest pub to the stadium and us such is pretty much the sole consideration of the home supporters, with away supporters encouraged to consider having a drink elsewhere. It shows all of the sport that you might be hoping to watch and it also serves delicious food. You can get a drink there too, obviously.

The Evening Star

55/56 Surrey Street, Brighton, BN1 3PB (01273 328 931)

This is the home of The Dark Star brewing company, the place where it all began. Because of that it’s fair to say that you’ll be able to pick up a decent real ale or two here!

The Post & Telegraph

155-158 North St, Brighton BN1 1EA (01273 827540)

This is a JD Wetherspoon pub, so don’t be expecting anything too spectacular. That said you’ll get cheap food, cheap booze and sport on televisions dotted around the place, so it’s not a bad place to head for a pre-match pint or two!

Facilities

The facilities at The Amex are excellent, with padded seats, excellent views and good legroom on offer for all supporters within the stadium. The concourses behind the scenes are large and welcoming, with numerous stalls offering food and drink options before the match and at half-time. For those that care about such things there are also tremendous acoustics within the ground, meaning that there can be quite an atmosphere during matches that the supporters get ‘up’ for.

Prices

Programme: 3.50

Pie: 4.10

Cup of tea: 2.10

Hospitality

Nominated in four different categories in the 2015 Stadium Events and Hospitality awards, it’s safe to say you’ll get a brilliant experience if you choose to take advantage of one of the hospitality packages available at The Amex. The stadium boasts ten lounges as well as 21 executive boxes, so your options are numerous should you wish to watch the match from a position of comfort and luxury.

Lounges typically open about two and a half hours before the game is due to kick off and they close at 11pm. There are different menus available depending on which lounge you have tickets for and what type of hospitality package you have selected. In the East and South lounges you will typically be offered ‘pub’ style food of burgers, ribs, curry or a vegetarian selection. Hospitality at The Amex comes under the name of The 1901 Club, so this is what you’ll be looking for it you want to seek out some more specific information.

Private Hire

Those ten lounges and 21 executive boxes aren’t only there to cater to supporters hoping to enjoy a nice bite to eat before the game. They’re also the idea place to hold meetings, parties and even weddings for those hoping to hold such an occasion in Brighton.

You can hire out the board room if you’re hoping for a professional looking, intimate affair, or you can opt for one of the larger lounges in order to host a dinner dance for up to 500 people. Whatever you opt for you’ll benefit from state-of-the-art equipment such as plasma screens, PA systems and wireless internet access. You can even combine two of the executive boxes for a larger meeting that still feels intimate or as a breakout space from a larger meeting, should that be what you’re looking for.

Stadium Tours & Museum

Whether or not you’re a fan of The Seagulls, a tour of The American Express Community Stadium is well worth your time if you ever find yourself at a loose end in Brighton. They run on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, even if there’s a 3pm kick off, and the tour lasts for about an hour and three quarters.

Whilst on the tour you’ll take the upper part of The West Stand, the trophy room, the hospitality lounges, the press area, both sets of changing rooms and the dug-outs on the side of the pitch. Access to the club’s new museum, located next to Dick’s Bar, is also included in your ticket price. The whole thing costs £13 for adults and £6.50 to people under 16 or over 65.

About Brighton & Hove Albion

Souvenir postcard of Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club, celebrating their Southern League title and Southern Charity Cup win in the 1909-1910 season -By Upload: Rugby pioneers Original: Ebenezer Pannell of Church Road, Hove, the official photographer to Brighton & Hove Football Club. See Ebenezer Pannell - Brighton & Hove Photographer, which confirms Mr Pannell died in 1934. [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Brighton & Hove Albion, commonly referred to as simply ‘Brighton’, has been in existence as a football club since 1901. Nicknamed either The Seagulls or The Albion, they were elected to the Football League proper in 1920, having previously taken part in the Southern League.

The club enjoyed its most successful spell in the early ‘80s, playing their football in the top-tier of English football and reaching the final of the FA Cup. They lost out on the trophy to Manchester United after a replay, though not before they picked up a number of admirers. Their main rival is, strangely, Crystal Palace, despite the fact that the clubs are more than 40 miles apart from each other.

Brighton nearly went into liquidation after a number of years of mismanagement. They were nearly relegated out of the Football League and into the Conference before a boardroom takeover saved them and they ended up returning to the country’s Second Division. They have spent the past fourteen years moving between the second and third tiers of English football.

Falmer Stadium History

The stadium is one of the newest in the South coast area, opening as it did in 2011. The first game played there was between Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton, with the London club running out 3-2 winners. The first competitive match took place between the home side and Eastbourne Borough in the final of the Sussex Senior Cup. A strange quirk of fate meant that the stadium’s first home game came against Doncaster Rovers - the same team against whom the last match at the club’s previous permanent home had been played.

Despite being a young stadium the record attendance has already changed a number of times. The first record was 21,897, set when Liverpool came to play The Seagulls in the League Cup in 2011. The Merseyside club were also the first away team to win a competitive match at The Amex. In 2012 the stadium’s capacity was increased and a new record attendance of 26,684 was set when Brighton saw out a goalless draw against Nottingham Forrest. The current record attendance of 30,278 was set when Arsenal played Brighton in the fourth round of the FA Cup in January of 2015.

Future Developments

There are no current plans to expand The Amex any further, even if the club gain promotion to the Premier League in the future. There are plans to continue to develop the region around the ground, though, with hopes that it will become something of a gateway between the area near the stadium and the town centre.